BA English Literature Syllabus and Subjects 2025
BA English Literature syllabus is divided into 6 semesters over 3 years and mainly covers an in-depth study of socio-political issues, theoretical frameworks, and contemporary research, poetry, drama, non-fiction, prose, history, etc. BA English Literature subjects cover a range of topics starting from Shakespeare to Elizabethan Age Literature, Contemporary and Western Literature, etc.
BA English Literature course also helps students to develop various skills in English Phonetics, Word Power and Creative Writing, Presentation, Value Education, Digital Skill Development for Employment, etc., as a part of skill-based courses in the curriculum.
BA English Literature core subjects include British and American Prose, History Of Literature And Philology, Environmental Studies, Shakespeare Drama, Poetry, Literary Form, 20th-Century English Literature, etc. Students can also select elective subjects such as Literary Criticism, Mythology and Literature, Indian Theatre Study, etc.
Table of Contents
- Semester-Wise BA English Literature Syllabus
- First Year BA English Literature Syllabus
- Second Year BA English Literature Syllabus
- Third Year BA English Literature Syllabus
- BA English Literature Subjects- Core and Electives
- University-Wise BA English Literature Syllabus Comparison
- Career Options After BA English Literature
- Bachelor of Arts in English Literature Course Structure
- BA English Literature Books
Semester-Wise BA English Literature Syllabus
BA English Literature subjects contain a wide range of topics such as cultural research, English literature, modern literature, rhetoric, etc. However, the syllabus pattern may differ in institutions based on the academic structure and different regulations.
Students can also download the B.A. English Literature syllabus PDF of various college’s official websites. A detailed view of the generic BA English Literature syllabus is given below
First Year BA English Literature Syllabus
The English literature syllabus BA 1st year covers fundamental topics like European Classical Literature, History Of Literature And Philology, British Poetry And Drama (14th – 17th Century), etc.
BA English lLiterature 1st semester syllabus covers topics such as European Classical Literature, Environment Study and History Of Literature and Philology. The BA 2nd sem English Literature syllabus includes Indian Writing in English, British Poetry And Drama (14th – 17th Century) and Communicative English.
Students get to study various subjects and different sections of English history in the BA first year English Literature syllabus. Given below are the English Literature BA 1st Year syllabus:
| Semester I | |
| European Classical Literature | History Of Literature And Philology |
| Environment Study | - |
| Semester II |
|
| Indian Writing in English - Fiction | Communicative English |
| British Poetry And Drama (14th – 17th Century) | - |
BA English Literature Second Year Syllabus
BA English Literature second year syllabus delves into the study of American Literature, British Literature, Popular Literature, 19th-Century British Literature, Indian Theatre Study, etc.
A variety of dramas, novels, and poems are covered under the BA 4th semester English Literature syllabus. Given below are the BA 2nd Year English Literature syllabus:
| Semester III | |
| American Literature | Comparative Literature Fundamentals |
| Popular Literature | Indian Theatre Study |
| British Poetry And Drama (17th – 18th Century) | - |
| Semester IV |
|
| British Literature (18th Century) | World Mythology and Literature |
| British Romantic Literature | Linguistic Introduction |
| 19th-Century British Literature | - |
BA English Literature Third Year Syllabus
BA 3rd year syllabus English Literature focuses on Modern European Drama, Early 20th-Century British Literature, Modern Indian Writing In English Translation, Literary Criticism, etc.
Given below are the English Literature 5th and BA English Literature 6th semester syllabus:
| Semester V | |
| Women's Writing | Literary Theory |
| Early 20th-Century British Literature | Partition Literature |
| Modern Indian Writing In English Translation | - |
| Semester VI |
|
| Modern European Drama | Contemporary India: Women And Empowerment |
| Postcolonial Literature | Autobiography |
| Literary Criticism | - |
BA English Literature Subjects- Core & Electives
BA English Literature subjects include the study of the English language, creative writing, and novels and provide knowledge about popular movements like Realism, Post-Colonialism, and Existentialism. Listed below are year-wise core & elective subjects under the BA English Literature syllabus.
BA English Literature First Year Subjects
English Literature BA first year subjects cover European Classical Literature, Indian Writing in English, these subjects offer a comprehensive understanding of the literary landscape, including themes such as British Romanticism, British Poetry and Drama, and postcolonial literature.
The BA English Literature first year subjects are listed below:
| Subjects | Topics Covered |
Type |
| European Classical Literature | Social and intellectual background, Homer, The Iliad, Sophocles, Oedipus the King, Ovid, Selections from Metamorphosis, 'Bacchus', Plautus, and Pot of Gold |
Core |
| Environment Study | Nature Writing, Eco-Criticism, Conservation Literature, Sustainability Themes, Literary Responses to Climate Change, Environmental Ethics, Nature as Symbolism, etc. |
Core |
| History Of Literature And Philology | Old English Heroic Poetry, Old English Prose and Chaucer, Elizabethan Sonnets, University Wits and Ben Jonson, Restoration Comedy of Manners and Eighteenth Century, Pre-Romantic Poetry and Romantic Non-fiction Prose |
Core |
| Indian Writing in English | Indian English, Indian English Literature and its Readership, Themes and Contexts of the Indian English Novel |
Core |
| British Poetry and Drama (14th – 17th century) | Age of Feudalism: Social-Political Fragmentation, Structure of Society under the Church, Humanism in Renaissance |
Core |
| Communicative English | Travel and Tourism, English For the Workplace, Confronting Critical Situations, Brave the Challenge, Mass Media, Responding to the World Around You |
Core |
BA English Literature Second Year Subjects
The second year BA English Literature subjects explore American Literature, Popular Literature, British Poetry, and Drama, 19th Century British Literature, etc.
The BA English Literature second year subjects and topics covered are detailed in the table below.
| Subjects | Topics Covered | Type |
| American Literature | Literary Movements (Transcendentalism, Harlem Renaissance, Beat Generation, etc.), American Literary Classics, Ethnic Literature, Regional Literature, Native American Literature, Contemporary Voices, Impact of Historical Events on Literature, etc. | Core |
| British Poetry and Drama (14th – 17th century) | Geoffrey Chaucer. “Wife of Bath ''. The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales.Ed. Nevill Coghill, Edmund Spenser. Sonnet LXXV. “One day I wrote her name…” Amoretti., John Donne. “The Sunne Rising'' and “ Valediction Forbidding Mourning”, Francis Bacon. “Of Empire” | Core |
| Popular Literature | Coming of Age, The Canonical and the Popular, Caste, Gender and Identity, Ethics and Education in Children‘s Literature, Sense and Nonsense. | Core |
| British Romantic Literature | William Blake. “The Lamb”, “The Chimney Sweeper”, “The Tyger”, the Introduction to The Songs of Innocence., Robert Burns. “A Bard’s Epitaph” and “Scots Wha Hae”, William Wordsworth. “Tintern Abbey” | Core |
| British Literature (18th century) | The Stage, Court and City, Religious and Political Thought, Ideas of Love and Marriage, Poetry and Drama of 17th -18th Centuries. | Core |
| 19th Century British Literature | Charlotte Brontë. Jane Eyre. 1847, Charles Dickens. Hard Times, Thomas Hardy. Tess of the d'Urbervilles.1891-92. Alfred Tennyson. “Ulysses” | Core |
| Comparative Literature Fundamentals | Definition and Scope of Comparative Literature, Theoretical Foundations, Literary Translation, Comparative Studies in Genres, Globalization and Literature, etc. | Elective |
| Indian Theatre Study | Sanskrit Drama, Medieval Theatre Forms, Colonial Influence on Theatre, Modern Indian Theatre, Post-Independence Theatre, Regional Theatre Traditions, Theatre and Social Change, etc. | Elective |
| World Mythology and Literature | Mythological Themes, Mythological Characters, Archetypal Patterns, Mythology in Literature, Mythology in Popular Culture, Mythology and Psychology, etc. | Elective |
| Linguistic Introduction | Phonetics and Phonology, Morphology, Syntax, Semantics, Sociolinguistics, Psycholinguistics, Historical Linguistics, Applied Linguistics, etc. | Elective |
BA English Literature Third Year Subjects
The third year BA English Literature subjects cover Women's Writing, Early 20th Century British Literature, Modern European Drama, Modern Indian Writing In English Translation, etc.
Listed below are the BA English Literature subjects for the third year along with their topics covered:
| Subjects | Topics Covered | Type |
| Women's Writing | Emily Dickinson. “I cannot live with you”. “I’m ‘wife’- I’ve finished that”, Sylvia Plath. “Daddy”, “Lady Lazarus”, Alice Walker. The Color Purple, Katherine Mansfield. “Bliss”, Mahashweta Devi. “Draupadi” | Core |
| Early 20th Century British Literature | Joseph Conrad. Heart of Darkness.John Millington Synge. Riders to the Sea. James Joyce. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. William Butler Yeats. “Byzantium”, “Sailing to Byzantium” | Core |
| Modern Indian Writing In English Translation | The Shroud by Munshi Prem Chand, The Quilt by Ismat Chugtai, Rebati by Fakir Mohan Senapati. Poetry - ‘Light, oh where is the light?’ by Rabindranath Tagore, The Void by G.M. Muktibodh, I Say unto Waris Shah by Amrita Pritam. | Core |
| Modern European Drama | Henrik Ibsen. “Ghosts”. Ghosts and Other Plays. Tr. Peter Watts. Penguin, 1964, Bertolt Brecht. The Good Person of Szechwan. Ed.&Tr. Ralph Manheim. Penguin, 2008, Samuel Beckett. Waiting for Godot | Core |
| Postcolonial Literature | Chinua Achebe. Things Fall Apart, Gabriel Garcia Marquez. “No One Writes to the Colonel”, Bessie Head. “The Collector of Treasures”, Ama Ata Aidoo. “The Girl Who Can” | Core |
| Literary Criticism | Marxism, Antonio Gramsci. “The Formation of the Intellectuals” and “Hegemony (Civil Society) andSeparation of Powers”, Louis Althusser. “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses” | Core |
| Literary Theory | Marxism - The Formation of the Intellectuals by Antonio Gramsci, Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses by Louis Althusser. Feminism - A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf | Elective |
| Partition Literature | Novel - The Shadow Lines by Amitav Ghosh. Short Stories - The Marooned by Protiva Basu, Poetry - After Death: Twenty Years by Birendra Chattopadhyay, Rehabilitation by Sankha Ghosh. | Elective |
| Autobiography | My Reminiscences by Rabindranath Tagore, Autobiography or the Story of My Experiments with Truth by Mahatma Gandhi, My Story and Life as an Actress by Binodini Dasi, and Autobiography of an Unknown Indian by Nirad C. Chaudhuri. | Elective |
University-Wise BA English Literature Syllabus Comaprison
Applicants must check the university-wise syllabus structure of the BA English Literature program mentioned in the section below for reference. It will help students leanr the difference in the syllabus of universities.
JAIN University
The BA English Literature syllabus of Jain University is shared below of all the six semesters.
Semester 1
The detailed syllabus topics of BA English Literature ssemester 1 is mentioned here.
- Communicative English
- Language Paper I
- History of English Literature: The Pre-Chaucerian to the Augustan
- English Poetry: The Elizabethan to the Augustan
- English Prose: The Elizabethan to the Victorian
- Introduction to Computing
- Cultural Education I
Semester 2
Applicants must check the semester 2 syllabus topics of the BA English Literature program provided below.
- Professional Communication
- Language Paper II
- History of English Literature
- English Poetry
- English Prose: The Late-Victorian to the Modern
- Indian Writing in English: Fiction
- Cultural Education II
Semester 3
The semester 3 detailed syllabus topics of the BA English paper is shared below.
- Communicative English (Advanced)
- History of English Literature: Victorian to the Present
- American Literature
- Biography
- English Fiction: Victorian
- Life Skills I
- Amrita Value Programme I
- Amrita Value Programme II
Semester 4
The detailed syllabus topics of the BA English Literature program if semester 4 is shared here for students reference.
- History of English Language and Phonetics
- Indian Writing in English: Poetry
- Shakespeare: Comedies
- Environmental Studies
- Elective A
- Open Elective A
- Life Skills II
Semester 5
Candidates can check the detailed syllabus of the Jain University for the BA English Literature program shared below.
- Elements of Literary Criticism
- English Poetry: Modern
- English Drama: Elizabethan to Victorian
- Spiritual Literature
- Elective B
- Open Elective B/ Line-in-Lab
- Life Skills III
Semester 6
The semester 6 syllabus topics are given below.
- Literary Criticism: Introduction
- European Fiction
- English Fiction: Modern
- English Drama: Modern
- Shakespeare: Tragedies
- Autobiography
SGT University
The detailed semester-wise syllabus topic details of the BA English Literature program for the Shree Guru Gobind Singh Tricentenary University.
Semester 1
The syllabus of semster 1 has been provided in the pointers below.
- British Literature (14th to 16th centuries)
- Literary forms and tools of Critical Appreciation
- Elective (English Communication/ Environment Science)
- Creative Writing/ Technical Writing Fluency in English
Semester 2
Students must check the BA English Literature semester 2 syllabus topics of SGT University shared below.
- British Literature(17th to 18th century)
- Nineteenth-Century British Literature
- Environment Science/English Communication
- Content Writing/ Translation Techniques
- Academic Writing and Composition
Semester 3
Applicants can check the semester 3 syllabus topics mentioned below.
- Victorian British Literature
- Indian Writing in English
- Literary Theory and Criticism
- Script Screenplay, English Language Teaching or Summer Training
- Communicative English
Semester 4
The syllabus for semester 4 of the BA English Literature program is given here.
- Twentieth-century British Literature
- American Literature
- Movements and History of English Literature
- Advertising and Public Relations or Language Education
- English for Professionals
Semester 5
The SGT University BA English Literature syllabus topics for semester 5 is given here.
- Modern European Drama
- Language, Linguistics and Practical
- Post-World War British Literature, Media and Communication Skills and its Practical
- Literature of the Indian Diaspora, or Language, Literature and Culture, and its Practical
Semester 6
The detailed topics of semester 6 is shared here for students reference.
- Post Colonial Writing
- Women Writing in English and its Practical
- World Literature or Writing for Media and its Practical
- Modern Indian Writing in English Translation, Film Studies or Dissertation and its Practical
Career Options After BA English Literature
There are variosu career options available for students pursuing BA English Literature. The program opens diverse options for the candidates in all fields (private or government). The program leads to career opportunities in Teaching, Journalism, Mass Media, Content Writer, and many more. After this program students will also have options to prepare for any government jobs, such as SSC, RRB, Civil Services, and more.
Students must check the list of career option shared below.
- Reasearcher
- Teaching
- Journalism
- Media
- Content Writer
- Civil Services
Bachelor of Arts in English Literature Course Structure
BA in English Literature course structure is designed to include both core and elective subjects. BA English Literature syllabus includes the Study of Poetry, Essay Writing, Drama, Novels, Non-Fiction, Prose, History, and Plays.
The BA English Literature course structure is given below:
- VI Semesters
- Core Subjects
- Elective Subjects
- Projects
- Dissertation
- Seminar
BA English Literature Projects
BA in English Literature project topics are given to students for interdisciplinary learning. Projects are to be completed by the end of six semesters where the students have to submit a 20,000-word project. Some popular BA English Literature project topics are listed below:
- Translation and the Canon of Indian Literature: The Case of Satires in Hindi
- Dissent in Victorian and Edwardian Fantasies by Women
- Understanding Nation through Globalization: The Case of Post-Liberalization Indian Novel in English
- Understanding Nation-Building and Local/Global: in the Context Writing and Visual Art
Note: For the detailed list of projects, BA English Literature project PDFs are also available online.
BA in English Literature Teaching Methodology and Techniques
The BA English Literature curriculum takes into account different teaching methods. Along with lectures and practical training, the learners are trained in elective subjects with specializations. Listed below are some methods of teaching:
- Lecture Method
- Discussion Method
- Inquiry Method
- Discovery Method
- Problem-Solving Method
- Project Method of Teaching
- Workshop
BA English Literature Books
BA English Literature books are meant for a better understanding of concepts which include American Literature, Contemporary Fiction, Research & Criticism, etc. Some reference books to guide and understand the concepts of research areas are listed below:
BA English Literature Books First Year
BA English Literature books are available to students in paperbacks and PDF formats from a variety of authors and publications. Some of the first year BA English Literature books are:
| Books | Authors | Topics Covered |
| Aristotle/Horace/Longinus: Classical Literary Criticism | T.S. Dorsch | Analysis of tragic drama, epic poetry and stylistic devices such as metaphor, and his famous notion of the cathartic purging of the emotions. |
| Divided by a Common Language | Meenakshi Mukherjee | Complexities and dynamics of multilingualism, Caste Hierarchy, Religion,and Linguistic Politics. |
| A History Of English Literature | Lakshmi Narain Agrawal | Middle English Literature, Renaissance, Romantic Poetry, etc. |
| Orientalism and the Study of Indian Literature | Vinay Dharwadkar | World Literature, Orientalism and the Institution of Indian Literature, Orientalism and “The Language of Hindoostan”, etc. |
| Indian Literary Criticism: Theory and Interpretation | G. N. Devy | Literary theories, Indian literary traditions, Cultural perspectives, Postcolonial criticism, etc. |
BA English Literature Books Second Year
The BA English Literature 2nd year books are provided in the table below for students reference:
| Books | Authors | Topics Covered |
| A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass | Frederick Douglass | Themes of Enslavement, Freedom, and Abolition |
| Indian English Literature 1980-2000: A Critical Survey | M. K. Naik | Indian English literature overview, Postcolonial literature, Social issues, Cultural reflections, etc. |
| Norton Anthology of English Literature | John Stuart Mill | An overview of poetry, drama, prose fiction, essays, and letters from Beowulf to the beginning of the 21st century. |
| A Discourse Concerning the Origin and Progress of Satire | John Dryden | The period from 1660 to 1700- Restoration period. |
| A Short View of the Immorality and Profaneness of the English Stage | Jeremy Collier | The business of plays is to recommend Vertue, and discountenance Vice, The swelling of public opposition to the real or imposed indecency of the plays staged over the last three decades |
BA English Third Books Third Year
The third year books as per the BA English Literature syllabus are mentioned below:
| Name of the Books | Authors | Topics Covered |
| Indian Literary Criticism: Theory and Interpretation | G. N. Devy | Literary theories, Indian literary traditions, Cultural perspectives, Postcolonial criticism, etc. |
| Indian English Literature 1980-2000: A Critical Survey | M. K. Naik | Indian English literature overview, Postcolonial literature, Social issues, Cultural reflections, etc. |
| Language Testing and Evaluation: An Introductory Course | Desmond Allison | Language testing fundamentals, Evaluation methods, Assessment techniques, Reliability and validity, etc. |
| Second Language Learning and Language Teaching | Vivian Coo | Second language acquisition, Bilingualism, Language skills development, Teaching strategies, etc. |
| Under Western Eyes: Feminist Scholarship and Colonial Discourses | Chandra Talapade Mohanty | The concept of third-world women in Western scholarship, Mohanty's influential critique of western feminism. |
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FAQs on BA English Literature Syllabus and Subjects
Q: What are the subjects in BA English Literature syllabus 1st year?
Some of the key subjects covered in the English Literature first year syllabus are European Classical Literature, Indian Writing, British Poetry And Drama (14th – 17th Century), etc.
Q: What do you study in BA English literature?
The Bachelor of Arts in English Literature is a thorough and intensive course that covers various literary genres. This three-year degree offers the opportunity to study Poetry, Drama, Novels, Prose, and History.
Q: Which is better, BA English or BA English Literature?
BA English focuses on grammar and the use of different parts of speech whereas BA English Literature is a course that explains the origin of the language, epics, plays, etc
Q: How many subjects are there in BA English Literature?
A bachelor's degree in English Literature offers a wide range of elective courses in addition to 20 core subjects.
Q: How is the BA English Literature syllabus assessed?
English Literature assessments can include a mix of written examinations, debates, group discussions and projects. The evaluation methods can vary depending on the subject.
Q: Which forms of creative writings are typically covered in the Creative writing course?
Creative writing covers normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature, character development, and the use of literary tropes or with various traditions of poetry and poetics.
Q: What theoretical views are typically addressed in the literary theory and criticism course?
Literary theory and criticism courses include comparison, analysis, interpretation, and/or evaluation of works of literature. It is essentially an opinion, supported by evidence, relating to theme, style, setting or historical or political context.
Q: In what way does the BA English Literature 4th sem syllabus emphasize skill development?
The BA English literature 4th sem syllabus helps the graduates to focus on skills like Cultural literacy, Close reading skills, Critical thinking, etc.
